Unit for track belts



E. H. SAVAGE UNIT FOR TRACK BELTS Feb. 26 ,19z4.

Filed Dec. 30 1918 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Patented Feb. 26, 192

EDWIN H. SAVAGE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB, TO THE CLEVELAND TRACTOR COMPANY, OE EUCLID, QHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

UNIT roa rs-eon ient'rs.

Application filed nee'embe'rso, 1918. Serial No. 268,933.

To all whom it may concern.

citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahogaand State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Units for Track Belts, of which the following is a full, clear and exact description.

This invention is a pressed steel unit'o-r link, especially suited to be pivotally connected with other exactly similar units or links, to make an endless chain track for a track laying tractor.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts shown in the drawing and hereinafter described and pointed out definitely in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. l is atop plan view of two of said links or units pivotally con nected; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said two links; Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of one of said links; Fig. 4c is a sectionalend'view in the plane of line 4-4: on Fig. '2; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal central section of one of said links; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a sheet steel blank from which the envelope portion of said link is formed, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the metal blank from which the insert or strengthening filler of the link is to be formed.

Each link is composed of an envelope A, having the form of a flat annulus, and a filler or insert B, both made from sheet steel cut and bent and secured together in the manner shown.

- The envelope A is a fiat annulus formed by bending a sheet steel blank, shaped substantially as shown in Fig. .6 until it assumes the shape shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This blank includes a shoe portion 10 which lies between the lines a-b on Fig. 6, and-is the full width .of the completed link. It also includes the part 12 which is shown below line a on Fig. 6, which part is turned down substantiallyalong the line a to form a part 12 of the so-called grouser or transverse ground engaging rib.

Thisblank also -in'c-ludes 'two irregular shaped but substantially parallel strips which are integral with the shoe portion 10. The parts of these strips between the lines bc are bent into U shape',ther eby forming the rear loops13.

l The parts-of each stri betweenthelines c-(Z will then extend forwardly and horizontallyand inparallel relation to the substantially horizontal shoe 10, thereby forming the top members 1a of the rails'of tracks of the link. The parts of both strips between the lines d.@ are bent downward and rearward forming the front U-shaped loop 15; and the end portion '16 of each strip is bent into horizontal position and caused to overlap and 'is secured upon the shoe portion 10 near the front thereof just behind that part 12 of said blank which when 7 turned down as ShOWIl-fOIlllS a part of the are so disposed that the outer edges of the loops 13 are in substantially the same longitudinally extended vertical planes as the inner edges of the loops 15, so that the two rear loops 13 may go between the two front loops of the next link.

The strengthening insert B is also formed ofsheet steel, the flat blank therefor being shown in Fig. 7. It includes a front part 21 below dotted line fwhich is to be turned down-against the part 12 of the envelope, and secured theretobyspot welding or the like to form the double thick grouser 12-2l as shown in. Figs. 2 and 5. The part 22 between lines fg engages. upon and issecured to the-shoe portion of the envelope. From the line g,'rearward, the blank is in the form of two strips. Each strip adjacent the front part of the link is as wide as the combined width of theloops 13 and 15 of the envelope; A notch 23 is cut into the blank fromeach side thereof, the depth of each notch being equal to the width of-the corresponding loop 15. Slits h are then formed longitudinally extendincr rearward from these notches 23 thereby forming the tongues 2%,the widthof which is the same as the width of loop. 15. Each ofthese tongues is bent downward along line j,

within therloops 15, and in such position be clamped within the loop 15 by this tongue2 l. The portions of the'strips in side the slits h are bent upward along the line 9 and'then rearward along line is, thereby forming the vertical. struts 25 which extend up from the shoe 10 of the envelope to the rail portionl i thereof, whereby the 1st ter is supported at its frontend. The parts 26 of both strips of the insert blank between lines k and m are then extended rearwardly horizontally beneath and in contact with the rail portion 14 of the envelope, and form, with said rail portions, double thick horizontal rails, the function of which is to furnish a track for the weight supporting wheels of the tractor.

The parts 27 of the insert between lines m and n are then bent downward, and the ends of both strips shown above the line a in Fig. 7 are bent forward in horizontal position as feet 28 which engage upon the shoe portion of the envelope. The parts 27 form struts which give support to the rear ends of the rails lat, 26, and, being curved as shown, they also form parts of clamps by which bushings 31 are secured in the rear loops 13. The length of each bushing 30 is equal to the Width of a front loop 15 in which it is clamped by the tongue 24. The length of each bushing 31 is equal to the width of the front loop 13 within which it is clamped by the curved strut 27.

hen the two blanks shown in Figs. 6 and 7 have been secured and assembled as shown and connected together, and the bushings referred to are secured in place, the result is a pressed steel track unit having a substantially horizontal shoe portion 10, at

the front end of which is a downturned double thick full width grouser 12, 21; two parallel double thick and well braced track rails which lie in a horizontal plane above the shoe near the sides thereof; two front ears each comprising a loop 15, bushings 30, and tongue 24; and two rear ears each comprising a loop 13, struts 27 and the bushing 31; the two rear ears being capable of going between the two front ears of a similar link, and being capable of being pivotally connected by pins 33 which go through the four aligned bushings of said ears, and from one side of the link to the other. The top rails of the several links, when such links are connected as stated will furnish broad faced track surfaces for the weight engaging wheels of the tractor. Along proximate edges of the said rails vertical longitudinally extended flanges 19 are turned up from the rail parts of the envelope to serve as guides for said weight supporting wheels.

It is to be understood that the engaging parts of the envelope and insert are to be connected together by spot welding or other similar means to an extent sufficient to insure that said parts shall remain in the relamember which lies between the openings between the two rails is to insure that the ends of the sprocket wheels which will be used to drive a track belt made of the described links, will clear and not hit the shoe.

Having described my invention, I claim l. A track chain unit, comprising, in combination, an envelope comprising a fiat pressed steel annulus having a substantially horizontal bottom shoe member the full width of the unit, the front end of said shoe member being turned down to form .a grouser, two rail members which extend horizontally over the shoen'iember near the side edges thereof, two front loops and two rear loops which respectively connect said rail members with the shoe member, a pressed steel insert having horizontal rail portions which extend beneath and in contact with the rail members of the envelope, struts which extend downward from the front ends of said rail portions within the rear loops and are connected with the shoe member of the envelope, other struts which extend downward from the front ends of said rail portions and are secured to the shoe member of the envelope.

2. A track chain unit, comprising, in combination, an envelope comprising a flat pressed steel annulus having a substantially horizontal botton shoe member the full width of the unit, the front end of said shoe member being turned down to form a grouser, two rail members which extend horizontally over the shoe member near the side edges thereof, two front loops and two rear loops which respectively connectsaid rail members with the shoe member, a pressed steel insert having horizontal rail portions which extend beneath and in contact with the rail members of the envelope, struts which extend downward from the front ends of said rail portions within the rear ears and are connected with the shoe member of the envelope, other struts which extend downward from the front ends of said rail portions and are secured to the shoe'member of the envelope, and a downwardly bent transversely extended rib with which the two last mentioned struts are connected,-which rib is fitted against and secured to the downwardly extended grouser which is a part of envelope.

3. A track chain unit comprising, in combination, an envelope comprising a fiat pressed steel annulus having a substantially holrizontial bottom shoe member the full width of the unit, two rail members which extend horizontally over the shoe member near the side edges thereof, two front loops and two rear loops which respectively connect said rail members with the shoe member, a pressed steel insert having horizonthe shoe member of the which extend downward from said rail portions within the front loops, struts which extend downward from the front ends of said rail portions and are secured to the shoe member of the envelope.

4. A track chain unit comprising, in combination, an envelope comprising a flat pressed steel annulus having a substantially horizontal bottom Ishoe member the full width of the unit, tworail members which extend horizontally over the shoe member near the side edges thereof, two front loops and two rear loops which respectively con nect said rail members with the shoe memher, and a sheet metal insert having horizontal rail portions which extend beneath and in contact with the rail members of the envelope struts which are integral parts of said rail members and extend downward from the rear ends thereof within the rear loops of the envelope and are connected with the shoe member of the envelope, tongues which extend downward from said rail portions within the front loops, struts which extend downward from the front ends of said rail portions and are secured to the shoe member of the envelope, bushings clamped within the rear loops by the downwardly extended struts therein, and other bushings secured within the front loops and clamped therein by the downwardly extended tongues within said loops.

5. A track chain unit comprising, in combination, an envelope comprising a fiat pressed steel annulus having a substantially horizontal Pbottom shoe member the full width of the unit, the front end of said shoe member being turned down to form a grouser, two rail members which extend horizontally over the shoe member near the side edges thereof, two front loops and two rear loops which respectively connect said rail members with the shoe member, and an insert the front end of which extends the entire width of the unit and is secured upon the shoe portion of the envelope and extends downward in contact with the downwardly extended grouser of said shoe portion, which insert has two upwardly extended struts, two rearwardly extended horizontal rail portions which engage beneath the rail members of the envelope, two downwardly extended struts which at their lower ends are bent forwardly to form feet which rest upon and are secured to the top of the shoe member near the lower end thereof.

6. A pressed steel track chain unit having a shoe member which is the full width of the unit and has at'its front end a downwardly extended double thick grouser, two double thick horizontal rails above the shoe members, rear loops connecting said rails with the shoe, front loops connecting the rails withsaid shoe, and struts secured upon the shoe member and extending upward and supporting the double thick rails.

7 A pressed steel track chain unit having a shoe member which is the fullwidth of the unit and has at its front end a downwardly extended double thickv grouser, two

double thick horizontal rails above the 7 shoe members, rear loops connecting said rails with the shoe, front loops connectin the rails with said shoe, and struts secure upon the shoe member and extending upward and supporting the double thick rails, said rails having along their inner edges vertical guide flanges.

8. In a track chain unit for tracklaying tractors, the combination of a flat annulus forming a shoe member and top rail members spaced apart connected by loops at each end, an insert extending under and supporting said top rail members and secured to said shoe member, and a pin receiving bushing positioned between the loops at each end of said annulus and the ends of said insert.

9. A track chain unit for track laying tractors forming forming a shoe member and rail members spaced apart and connected by loops at each end, and a substantially U-shaped insert having rail portions extending longitudinally under and against the rail members of said annulus and depending struts secured at each end to said shoe member.

10. A track chain unit for tracklaying a flat metal annulus tractors, comprising in combination a, fiat V EDWIN H. SAVAGE. 

